Customer Reviews

Motorola TalkAbout T250 2-Mile 14-Channel Two-Way Radio (Cobalt Blue)

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have a pair of older motorola talkabouts and they work great. I want to clarify comments made regarding subcodes. There are only 14 channels to talk on. There are NOT 532 different channels available for 532 simultaneous conversations. The purpose of the subcodes (or privacy codes as they are sometimes referred to) is so that your radio will only broadcast conversation from people you know rather than other people who happen to be using the same channel you are.

For example: you set up your radios for channel 2 subcode 12. With your radio on standby, you will only hear people who are talking on channel 2 if they are using privacy code 12. This helps you to avoid having to hear people you don't know who also happen to be using channel 2. Therefore when you do hear someone talking on your radio, hopefully it will be the people you know rather than strangers. If the other people also have their radios set for subcode 12, then your radio will broadcast their voices.

BUT here is the important issue: Say someone else has their radios set for channel 2 with subcode 15. They are still using channel 2. If you talk at the same time they do, you will interfere with each other. You are both sharing the same channel - frequency. The subcode does NOT divide the frequency into 38 different smaller frequencies. It only allows you to block out their conversation from being broadcasted on your radio.

Before you contact your other radio on channel 2, you need to make sure no one else is using channel 2. That is the purpose of the monitor button. When you hit the monitor button, it lets you listen to all traffic on channel 2 "disabling your privacy code feature temporarily". You are suppose to hit the monitor button and check to make sure no one else is already talking on channel 2 before hitting your talk button and talking to your family/friends. Talking without first checking may result in your interfering with someone else already using the channel. In that case you are in the wrong.

My understanding of the function of the scan button (which unfortunately I don't have on my unit)is to scan all the channels (regardless of privacy code) to find a 'empty' channel so you can switch your radios to a less frequently used channel. If your unit is currently on channel 2 subcode 12 and you hit scan, even though it may display subcode 12 as it 'scans' through the 14 channels, it should be listening for traffic on each channel and not just for subcode 12. Scanning each channel on the subcode you have set does not make any sense and defeats the purpose of a scan. I believe other reviews are incorrect in their understanding of the scan function because they think 38 subcodes create at total of 532 channels which is wrong.

I want to start by saying that the Motorola TalkAbout 250 is the BEST two-way radio out there. I would rate it a 6 or 7, but that does not exist.

HERE ARE A FEW FACTS I HAVE FOUND:

1) The distance is great! I got about 1.5 miles, and there were many houses, trees, and power lines between myself and the person I was talking to. I am sure anyone could get AT LEAST 3 miles in an open area.

2) The sound quality is also great! It is 100% crystal clear. Motorola builds in a device to reduce unwanted noise and static. It really helps!

3) This model has features including: a scan button and a lock button (a must for people with kids).

4) The 14 channels AND 38 subcodes are a great thing to have. I went to a huge antique sale, and there were many people using two-way radios. I would not suggest a radio with only 2 or 14 channels unless you are willing to argue with another person about who can talk on the channel.

5) Having a volume control is also nice. Some brands have a device that electronically increases or decreases volume, and you can NOT manually ajust it.

6) The battery life is outstanding (as much as 30 hours)! Also, the Motorola models without a NiMH rechargeable battery seem to be better. As NiMH batteries gets old, they do not hold the charge as well and you will have to buy a new battery. When the battery doesn't charge well, the radio quality goes down and the sound is not always as clear. I suggest an Alkaline battery version!

7) The indicator light is also good, so you can vissualy see if the PTT button is pressed.

Hopefully you will decide to buy the Motorola TalkAbout 250. It only costs a little more than a different brand with the SAME features. Motorola also offers a wide variety of accessories including: headsets, remote speaker/microphones, and carrying cases.

I bought a pair of these for a Wednesday-to-Friday trip to Disneyland in May 2000. I felt it would be a good "acid test" since there might be enough interference from other FRS radios and all the structures at the park. The TalkAbout performed surprisingly well; but I also realized that it lacked some features which I needed. Here's my best breakdown of the issues. RANGE: Exceeded my expectations. I was able to get a clear reception from outside the Candy Cane Inn (Harbour and Katella) to the area just outside Small World. I haven't calculated the distance but I think it's about 0.5 miles (you may want to check this). We got a bit of static from the Disneyland Hotel monorail station to the Matterhorn. CLARITY: I can't really compare this model to other FRS radios (haven't tried them) but the only time we had problems understanding one another was when we would get "stepped-on" by less-considerate FRS-users on the same channel and code. The CTCSS codes (aka "privacy codes") were effective in squelching out other transmissions. I recall only receiving two calls from other parties on Friday when the park was really crowded. The microphone was remarkably sensitive. I had the unit clipped to my camera bag strap which ran across my chest (about 5-6 inches under my chin) and was able to talk normally while depressing the transmit button with my index finger. POWER CONSUMPTION: The Kirkland (Costco) alkalines lasted about 29 hours until early Friday. (Yes. You turn them on and leave them on in standby mode.) The battery power indicator was helpful. We probably spent 20% of our time transmitting and the rest on standby. STURDINESS: I dropped one on the concrete and it landed on its bottom. It was fine. The antenna and case are ruggedized but likely not indestructible. EASE OF USE: Even the technically-challenged members of our party had no problem "guessing" how the controls worked. Motorola's button layout is one of the better ones (but I could imagine having some problems with the smaller buttons if you were skiing and had gloves). PROBLEMS: The only problem we had was that there was a lot of channel congestion on Friday at the park. The park can swell up to 77k guests in a day so the 532 combinations can get used up fast. SUMMARY AND WISHLIST: Am happy overall but I think I'll be returning these to get a more expensive unit which vibrates when receiving incoming calls (for those more quiet environments). I'd also prefer a real splash-resistant unit if I was out on a rainy day. I don't think I need a smaller palm-sized unit as this size fit me just fine. The TalkAbout performed well enough that other members of our group decided to buy FRS radios for themselves in preparation for the next family reunion at the mouse-house. We also found these useful for exchanging driving directions when leaving the park for some fancy restaurants in Orange County.

The group I co-lead, "One Lap Around New England," is an annual youth bicycling tour through the six New England states. We now own five TalkAbouts, and just purchased 2 of the 250's this fall for evaluation. I find that this model is an incremental enhancement from the TalkAbout +. The range seems a little better (though the cases are identical); Motorola yanked the absolutely useless voice synthesizer out of the Plus and replaced it with a useful scanning and lock function. Another reader whined about "not being able to scan subcodes" -- apparently thinking codes are channels. They are just used for squelching other conversations -- pushing the monitor button lets you hear everything on the channel. We chose these over Cobra's FRS products because they stand up to the abuse and needs of cyclists (especially CHANGING BATTERIES!). A great inexpensive solution that has saved our necks several times.

I am one of a team of 6 disaster search dog handlers that use the radios during training. We have found that the radios are very sturdy and reliable. Our job exposes these radios to concrete dust, dirt, mud, rain and various forms of shock from dropping them to banging them on the narrow tunnels we crawl through. We find the VOX feature on the 250 very useful when used with the VOX inline mic and ear buddy, because we usually have our hands full with the dog and uncovering people who are buried. Although the team owns many of these radios, I have just ordered one for my personal use. I am sure that we will carry the 250's into real searches and they will be a valuable tool for our communication.

I got a set of 250's for me and a climbing partner after we had an accident and couldn't hear each other at the belays. Now anytime we think we might not hear each other, we carry them. They are very sturdy and I've banged mine around a lot climbing. The extra weight is reasonable and the bulk is minimal. Although the 280 is slightly smaller, the weight is just about the same (heavier Ni/Cd battery). The extra money for the slightly improved features isn't worth it. We thought the voice activation feature would be handy during leading, asking for rope, slack and what-not, hands free (important while climbing). However, we found that the delay in activation sometimes cut whole sentences and unless you held the microphone right to your mouth, it sometimes wouldn't activate at all. This kind of defeated the purpose of the voice activation in the first place. So we just use them at the belays when a free hand is available. They also came in handy on a trip to Mexico where we didn't have access to our cell phone service. Overall, a very useful climbing tool.

This radio is great for talking at the shopping mall (if you still shop in malls), or for use on the trail when you are hiking. I use it at the beach when I am boating.

The TalkAbout has about a 2 mile range, and works great from a boat . . . The TalkAbout 250 requires 3 AA batteries, and runs for at least 24 hours.

After using the TalkAbout 250 for several months now I am very happy with it. When I purchased my TalkAbout, I also purchased the "Motorola 50225 TalkAbout Remote Speaker Microphone". This remote speaker microphone works on the TalkAbout 250, but not on the TalkAbout 280. I was originally going to get the 280, but there was not yet a remote speaker microphone available.

With 14 channels and 38 privacy codes on the Motorola TalkAbout 250 you won't have to worry about listening to other peoples conversations.

Recently, I used the Motorola TalkAbout 250 radios on a New Mexico Elk Hunt. Without doubt, I recommend these radios to any outdoor enthusiast. On the road, in the mountains, at the mall, these devises sure come in handy. Battery life is great, as well as, the crystal clear sound and range of the product.

The motorola talkabout 250 is an excellent product. It may not have some of the features that some of the other do, but is a very good radio. If you plan on using it in very populated areas, some radios with better scan features may work better for you. But, if you plan on using it out in the more open country, it is a very good choice. For camping,hunting,backpacking or any other outdoor sports it is probably the best. It has excellent range and I feel is the most durable radio on the market. For example, I was using mine when rock climbing with some friends, accidentally I dropped mine 100 feet on to a rock ledge. Amazingly the radio still works. It had a few cracks but we still use it today.

Do you remember the toy walkie talkies that you had as a kid, this radio is nothing like that. The TalkAbout 250 is a high quality 2 way radio made by Motorola. This radio has the look of a toy, especially the yellow model, but once you try it out, you will quickly realize that it is no toy. All of the TalkAbout models operate on the FRS - Family Radio Service frequency which has about a 2 mile range, and works well inside and outside of buildings as well as inside of vehicles.

When I first was interested in purchasing this unit, my wife thought it was just another electronic gimmick that I am known for wasting money on. But after using this on the ski slopes once, she changed her mind, this was no longer a gimmick, but a requirement for going skiing with the family.

When I purchased my TalkAbout, I also purchased the "Motorola 50225 TalkAbout Remote Speaker Microphone". I think that the radio itself could use some design improvements, like the placement of the "Push to talk" button, but the Remote speaker microphone makes up for this. This remote speaker microphone works on the TalkAbout 250, but not on the TalkAbout 280. I was originally going to get the 280, but there was not yet a remote speaker microphone available.

There is a better radio available from Motorola called the "TalkAbout Distance", which is much more expensive, and requires a license to use. The TalkAbout 250 is not the top of the line TalkAbout, but will be great for most peoples needs.

There are cheaper models available from other manufacturers, but after shopping around it appears that the TalkAbout is the most robust unit with the most accessories available.

I would suggest this to my friends!